The present invention relates to an electrophotographic printer employing a continuous form (recording sheet), and more particularly, to a device for preventing heating and drying of the continuous form.
In a conventional electrophotographic printer, a recording sheet is fed through a fixing pair of rollers (a heat roller and pressure roller). A toner image thereon is fused by heat and pressure. When a continuous form is used as the recording sheet, the continuous sheet is sometimes maintained in a stationary position between the heat and pressure rollers when the printer is idle (i.e., not actively printing an image). In this case, the continuous form can become heated and unusually dry.
In previous continuous form electrophotographic printers, blank, previously discharged (output) portions of a form are retracted and printed upon in order to efficiently use all the available printing space. In such a printer, printing on a portion of a form that has been changed from being held stationary in the fixing unit produces poor printing quality, such as poor toner transfer or a displaced transfer.